DODGE RAM 4500 CHASSIS CAB 2009 4.G Workshop Manual

WARNING!
•Do not put anything on or around the airbag
covers or attempt to manually open them. You may
damage the airbags and you could be injured
because the airbags are not there to protect you.
These protective covers for the airbag cushions are
designed to open only when the airbags are inflat-
ing.
•Do not mount any aftermarket equipment such as
trailer brake controllers, snowplow controllers,
auxiliary light switches, radios, etc. on or behind
the knee bolster. Knee bolsters are designed to
work with the airbag and seat belt to protect you.
Mounting any additional equipment on or behind
the knee bolster can cause injury during a crash.Airbags inflate in moderate to high speed impacts. Along
with the seat belts, front airbags work with the instru-
ment panel knee bolsters to provide improved protection
for the driver and front passenger.
The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags deploy in moderate to
severe frontal collisions. In certain types of collisions, the
front airbags may be triggered. But even in collisions
where the airbags work, you need the seat belts to keep
you in the right position for the airbags to protect you
properly.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying airbag.
•Children 12 years and under should ride buckled up in
a rear seat, if available.
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•Infants in rear-facing child restraints mustNEVER
ride in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger front
airbag unless the airbag is turned off (Regular Cab
Vehicles Only). An airbag deployment can cause se-
vere injury or death to infants in that position. Refer to
the “Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (if equipped)”
in this section.
•If your vehicle does not have a rear seat, refer to the
“Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (if equipped)” in
this section
•Children that are not big enough to properly wear the
vehicle seat belt (refer to “Child Restraints” in this
section) should be secured in the rear seat in child
restraints or belt-positioning booster seats. Older chil-
dren who do not use child restraints or belt-
positioning booster seats should ride properly buckled
up in the rear seat. Never allow children to slide the
shoulder belt behind them or under their arms.
•All occupants should use their seat belts properly.
•The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the airbag room to
inflate.
WARNING!
•Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions the airbags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
airbags.
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
•AIRBAG Readiness Light
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag (if equipped)
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Crash Sensor
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Passenger’s Side Front Airbag ON/OFF Switch (Regu-
lar Cab Vehicles Only ) (if equipped)
How The Airbag System Works
•
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
if a frontal collision is severe enough to require the
airbags to inflate.
•The ORC will not detect rollover, or rear collisions.
•The ORC also monitors the readiness of the electronic
parts of the system whenever the ignition switch is in
the START or RUN positions. These include all of the
items listed above except the knee bolsters, the instru-
ment panel, and the steering wheel and column. If the
key is in the OFF position, in the ACC position, or not
in the ignition, the airbags are not on and will not
inflate.
•The ORC also turns on the Airbag Warning Light in
the instrument panel for 6 to 8 seconds when the
ignition is first turned on, and then turns the light off.
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•If it detects a malfunction in any part of the
system, it turns on the light either momen-
tarily or continuously. The instrument clus-
ter will flash the seat belt indicator if it
detects a fault with the airbag indicator.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Airbag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the airbags to
protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes
on as you drive, have the airbag system checked right
away.
•When the ORC detects a collision requiring the air-
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
nontoxic gas is generated to inflate the airbags. The
airbag covers separate and fold out of the way as the
airbags inflate to their full size. The airbags fully
inflate in milliseconds. This is less time than it takes
you to blink your eyes. The airbags then quickly
deflate while helping to restrain the driver and front
passenger (if equipped with passenger side airbag).
The driver’s front airbag deflates through vents to-
ward the instrument panel. The passenger’s front
airbag (if equipped) is deflated through vent holes in
the sides of the airbag. In this way the airbags do not
interfere with your control of the vehicle.
•The knee impact bolsters help protect the knees and
position you for the best interaction with the front
airbag.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch (Regular Cab
Vehicles Only) – If EquippedThe passenger front airbag is to be turned off only if the
passenger:
•is an infant (less than one year old) who must ride in
the front seat because there is no rear seat, because the
rear seat is too small for a rear-facing infant restraint or
because the infant has a medical condition which
makes it necessary for the driver to be able to see the
infant,
•is a child, age one to 12 who must ride in the front seat
because there is no rear seat, because there is no rear
seat position available, or because the child has a
medical condition which makes it necessary for the
driver to be able to see the child,
•has a medical condition which makes passenger airbag
(if equipped) inflation (deployment) a greater risk for
the passenger than the risk of hitting the dashboard
(instrument panel) or windshield in a crash.Passenger Airbag On/Off Switch
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WARNING!
Whenever an airbag is turned off, even a lap/
shoulder belted passenger may hit their head, neck,
or chest on the dashboard (instrument panel) or
windshield in a crash. This may result in serious
injury or death.
To Shut Off the Passenger Airbag (Regular Cab Ve-
hicles Only) – If Equipped
Place the ignition key in the Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch (if equipped), push the key in and turn clockwise,
and remove the key from the switch. This will shut off the
passenger airbag (if equipped). The OFF light near the
switch will illuminate when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. To Turn On the Passenger Airbag (Regular Cab Vehicles
Only) – If Equipped
Place the ignition key in the Passenger Airbag On/Off
Switch (If Equipped), push the key in and turn counter-
clockwise, and remove the key from the switch. This will
turn on the passenger airbag (if equipped). The OFF light
near the switch will be off when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position.
If A Deployment Occurs
The airbag system is designed to deploy when the ORC
detects a moderate-to-severe frontal collision, and then
immediately to deflate.
NOTE:
A frontal collision that is not severe enough to
need airbag protection will not activate the system. This
does not mean something is wrong with the airbag
system.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

If you do have a collision which deploys the airbags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The nylon airbag material may sometimes cause abra-
sions and/or skin reddening to the driver and front
passenger as the airbags deploy and unfold. The
abrasions are similar to friction rope burns or those
you might get sliding along a carpet or gymnasium
floor. They are not caused by contact with chemicals.
They are not permanent and normally heal quickly.
However, if you haven’t healed significantly within a
few days, or if you have any blistering, see your doctor
immediately.
•As the airbags deflate you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the nontoxic gas used for airbag
inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the skin,eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye irritation,
rinse the area with cool water. For nose or throat
irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation continues,
see your doctor. If these particles settle on your
clothing, follow the garment manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for cleaning.
•It is not advisable to drive your vehicle after the
airbags have deployed. If you are involved in another
collision, the airbags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed airbags can’t protect you in another colli-
sion. Have the airbags replaced by an authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
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Enhanced Accident Response System
If the airbags deploy after an impact and the electrical
system remains functional, vehicles equipped with
power door locks will unlock automatically. In addition,
approximately 10 seconds after the vehicle has stopped
moving, the interior lights will light until the ignition
switch is turned off.
Maintaining Your Airbag Systems
WARNING!
•Modifications to any part of the airbag system
could cause it to fail when you need it. You could
be injured because the airbags are not there to
protect you. Do not modify the components or
wiring, including adding any kind of badges or
stickers to the steering wheel hub trim cover or the
upper right side of the instrument panel. Do not
modify the front bumper, vehicle body structure,
or frame.
•You need proper knee impact protection in a
collision. Do not mount or locate any aftermarket
equipment on or behind the knee bolster.
•It is dangerous to try to repair any part of the
airbag system yourself. Be sure to tell anyone who
works on your vehicle that it has airbags.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

NOTE:Perchlorate Material – special handling may apply:
Refer to www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Airbag Warning Light
You will want to have the airbags ready to
inflate for your protection in an impact. While
the airbag system is designed to be mainte-
nance free, if any of the following occurs, have
an authorized dealer service the system promptly:
•The Airbag Warning Light does not come on or flickers
during the six to eight seconds when the ignition
switch is first turned ON.
•The light remains on or flickers after the six to eight
second interval.
•The light flickers or comes on and remains on while
driving. NOTE:
If the speedometer, tachometer or any engine
related gauges are not working, the ORC may also be
disabled. The airbags may not be ready to inflate for your
protection. Promptly check the fuse block for blown
fuses. For proper location of airbag fuses, refer to “Fuses
(Integrated Power Module)” in Section 7. See your au-
thorized dealer if the fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
In the event of an accident, your vehicle is designed to
record up to approximately five seconds of specific
vehicle data parameters (see the following list) in an
event data recorder prior to the moment of airbag de-
ployment, or near deployment, and up to a quarter-
second of high-speed deceleration data during and/or
after airbag deployment. EDR data are ONLY recorded if
an airbag deploys, or nearly deploys, and are otherwise
unavailable.
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NOTE:
•A near-deployment event occurs when the airbag
sensor detects severe vehicle deceleration usually in-
dicative of a crash, but not severe enough to warrant
airbag deployment.
•Under certain circumstances, EDR data may not be
recorded (e.g., loss of battery power).
In conjunction with other data gathered during a com-
plete accident investigation, the electronic data may be
used by Chrysler LLC and others to learn more about the
possible causes of crashes and associated injuries in order
to assess and improve vehicle performance. In addition
to crash investigations initiated by Chrysler LLC, such
investigations may be requested by customers, insurance
carriers, government officials, and professional crash
researchers, such as those associated with universities,
and with hospital and insurance organizations. In the event that an investigation is undertaken by
Chrysler LLC (regardless of initiative), the company or its
designated representative will first obtain permission of
the appropriate custodial entity for the vehicle (usually
the vehicle owner or lessee) before accessing the elec-
tronic data stored, unless ordered to download data by a
court with legal jurisdiction (i.e., pursuant to a warrant).
A copy of the data will be provided to the custodial entity
upon request. General data that does not identify par-
ticular vehicles or crashes may be released for incorpo-
ration in aggregate crash databases, such as those main-
tained by the US government and various states. Data of
a potentially sensitive nature, such as would identify a
particular driver, vehicle, or crash, will be treated confi-
dentially. Confidential data will not be disclosed by
Chrysler LLC to any third party except when:
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE